California camp starts this weekend

This weekend, Vancouver Whitecaps FC continue with their preparations for their inaugural Major League Soccer season with a 12-day training camp in Southern California.

The camp will conclude a six-week training phase that Teitur Thordarson's side have undertaken since the beginning of November. The camp in Ventura Beach, California, will consist of players that were part of Vancouver's last season as a North American second division club in 2010, as well as those players that were selected by Whitecaps FC in Wednesday's MLS Expansion Draft. On Saturday, December 4, the club's first MLS signing in USA World Cup star Jay DeMerit will join his new teammates at the state-of-the-art soccer facilities at Oxnard College.

The 'Caps will play two intrasquad matches during their time in Ventura Beach. The first game will take place on Sunday, December 5, while the second game is set for Wednesday, December 8.

Thordarson is looking forward to this latest step of squad building for 2011. "First of all, it will be a nice environment to train in down there," Thordarson said. "It will also be good to get in our Expansion Draft selections and get to know them better. The training that we do in California will be a little bit different to what we concentrated on here at home this month. We will play some inter-squad games, and hopefully, line up some opponents to play in friendly matches during our stay."

Whitecaps FC will arrive in Ventura Beach on Saturday and remain in Southern California until Thursday, December 9. Thordarson's squad will then break for the holiday season before returning for the club's preseason training camp on Monday, January 24, 2011.

More than 15,000 Whitecaps FC season ticket deposits have been sold for the club’s inaugural season in MLS. Season ticket deposit holders will be able to choose from seven different seating categories starting at a base price of $319, plus applicable tax and a $10 processing fee per order. Pricing starts at less than $17 per game and more than 60 per cent of seats are available for less than $31 per game. To secure a seat and for additional information about Whitecaps FC MLS season tickets, suites, and loge boxes, call 604.669.9283 or visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.